Same New Game
by LirielleA
Summary: Another affair, another argument, another time he had left, thinking he could do better without her. But this time, she and the world moved on without him. Now, the ancient King has to adjust to a new set of rules and reality that are no longer his. Will he be able to play the old game of the Greek court? It is the story of a Queen with the man who had everything and the journey
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

Ancient Greece was ruled by patriarchy, where law and order were male and the one who stood on the top of it all was Zeus, the King of Gods.

He was the pillar of society… even though he really was not.

In a modern view, he would be the poster boy for the philandering billionaire player, who drank too much, spent too much and whose only glory was to be born at the right time and perhaps his long list of lovers if it can be counted as lovers. But in Ancient Greece, he was just the King and Hera was his Queen.

(A female so determinate, so defying and ahead of her time - as she did not fit her time's expectations - that the ancient writers condemned her for it forever.)

It had been just like any other day, just another argument to add in proportion to his long list of lovers, between a scorned wife/the Queen and the uncaring husband/the King. Them arguing seemed so insignificant that later on, it could be barely remembered. Except for one thing.

Their arguments, the things they threw at each other in shouting, abided an already established course, in which each argument was countered by another and each rising voice met another higher raising one.

It was as passionate as volatile, and every inch as heart-breaking.

And when it finally came to the long-awaited climax, when there was nothing to be outdone anymore and no party with anything left to be hurt, it left the losing God with no other option but to retreat, until the next argument. But of course, for the sake of dramatics and pride, he could not leave without the promise of separation and abandonment, gifting his wife with the lingering taste of resentment and blame and his Queen with belittling words that - as was intended - left her feeling inferior to mortal women. As usual.

Except the one thing that no one expected.

After he had left, there was no concern for his return.

Until he never came back.

But by the time it had become appropriate to become worried, his tracks were untraceable. The Gods were far more anxious, their minds too occupied by fear what it meant for them than what it meant for their King.

However, by fortune's grace, the anticipated chaos never came. All in gratitude of Hera, who, in the time of crisis, took over her husband's reign. It was said that under her leadership, she had pulled the gods together, leading Olympus into a new time of prosperity, in a time when their God and even the mortals had abandoned them. So, out of what could have been the ashes of an empire, rose a phoenix brighter than anyone would have given her credit for.

And as days passed into decades, time moved on and prospered, burying the King who was above all under the glory of a new order.

That day the gods had last seen Zeus, Olympus had lost a King, but in return, they obtained a Queen.

Thus, the King of the Gods, the one above all, had become lost and almost forgotten in time.

It was a general acceptance that the only deity entitled and worthy to take his place - for the time of being - was her. Who else was worthy and capable enough to take on the King's duty if not the Queen? Definitely not the brood of his off-springs, including their children, that much was clear. The transition had passed with common knowledge and it was also with common knowledge, at least now, that without Hera, the pantheon would have fallen apart.

Over the years, it could be said that the Queen Goddess had left a trail of achievements, and one of them was the reconstruction and extension of Olympus' baths, which had become infamously known and praised by many goddesses.

With a stricter schedule, the de facto regent Queen no longer had the luxury to travel to Kanathos to enjoy her bathing habits. However, stubborn as she was, she refused to relent in the matter, which then paved way for reconstruction. Although it took more time than to Hera's liking, when it finally finished constructing, it became her retreat.

Perhaps it was due to her past and how the water reminded her of nurturing and loving Tethys, or maybe she just loved springs. They eased her mind and helped her relax. Being in the water for her felt like a separation, from the world, her worries and her state of mind. It was like entering a different sphere, floating and detached from everything.

She finally submerged again in the middle of the spring. The part of her hair that was not floating on the water's surface was clutching to her bare skin. She swam towards one of the rocks to lean on it.

"Lady Hera!"

Iris had her typical appearance of bearing news, but whether they were good or bad were yet to be determined.

"What is it?" Hera asked.

Her voice travelled across the water, sounding calm and aloof, even though she had a feeling of what it was already.

"They found him."

"Oh."

She knew what those words meant.

Iris was referring to her husband, Zeus. The King of Olympus. The God of Sky, who had been missing for five centuries, without any news or any sign of their mighty King.

"Lady Hera?"

"Prepare my dress," the Queen gave her regal and collected demand. "Let us not waste time."

While the Goddess of Rainbow followed as she said, she feared that by the end of the process that she must have miscalculated, because as the Queen stared at the mirror and into the finished design, there was a sudden and unexpected emptiness in time.

It was then that she remembered that she has forgotten it, all the things she had forgotten suddenly came back.

Iris was not the goddess, who made a mistake.

It was her who had miscalculated.

In fact, on that day, she realised a lot of mistakes she had made. It has been so long since she made such realisations and so many, too. Was it ironic that it was exactly the date he returned?

Perhaps more sad or nostalgic?

That was what she could not discern between in her heart, as she took in everything happening in front of her with her eyes.

Her beloved daughter Hebe fell into his arms, looking so small in contrast to her father. People were standing around, laughing and congratulating. Hestia was on the ground of shedding tears, but they were happy tears, so it did not truly count.

All in all, it was a most joyous sight, capable of melting any heart. It touched her because she knew that such harmony was rarely ever achieved within this pantheon. But hidden in all that touched feeling was also another feeling, knowing that she was supposed to be there as well, standing next to him as his wife, the one and only place, forever meant to be hers'.

It was a special day.

An exceptional day, because today was an exception. Because today, their King had finally come home and things could finally settle. It meant that their hearts could finally rest in peace again. It meant that things could finally go back to how they were before he was missing.

The order was finally restored.

Except for Queen Hera's heart.

For her, it was only the beginning.


	2. Chapter 1: Coming Pt1

**Chapter 1: Going Pt.I**

" _Do you know what everyone is talking about?"_

~o~o~o~o~

Going to sleep is one of the easiest things in the world. So natural that it is barely registered. How many times does someone wake and clearly remember the moment they actually fell asleep? Not that it was necessary to remember, because usually, there is nothing memorable anyway.

For Zeus, it should have been just as any uneventful wake-up. Just open the eyes and light and vision will soon replace darkness, ready to venture into another day.

How easy and great would that have been in comparison to the cruel reality he woke up to afterwards.

But instead, the great King would give anything to wake up so ordinarily. Instead, he woke up not to his wife, but to Athena and Hermes' faces and to a day that was far from yesterday. For him, it was yesterday and only for him. Because for everyone and everything else, an unimaginable amount of time had passed in which he was never present, so much that no one bothered to remember it anymore.

His companions did their best to update him, but he simply did not have the mind to listen to them. His mind stuck on grasping this new reality, making it difficult for him to listen to them and having to constantly remind himself that it was real.

This was not a dream.

It was weird. Everything was different now and yet, it was the same. At least for him.

How did it happen?

Or, what had happened anyway?

His thought went towards her, so naturally and fast that he was not even aware of it.

 _Hera._

Interestingly, his first thoughts went to his Queen. Not the kingdom he built, the human or the world he reigned over- they were only second- and especially not his mistress.

He could not even remember what her name was in his fuzzy and frantic mind. Was it because it had been so long that his mind had forgotten? But how? After all, he could still remember every other important thing. He remembered the last time he saw Hera because it was the last time they saw each other.

He still vividly remembers their arguments, from the smallest details, such as her expression to her anger, the fury and condemnation in her eyes as she burned him and all the details that should have been just as fleeting.

As his mind was preoccupied with his thoughts, he did not register the uncomfortable silence that engulfed the ride nor his companions.

Because while his thoughts were still able to be so mindless, the others did share the same luxury, especially in his presence, the very reason for their quandary, and he was not even aware of it.

"How much time had passed..."

As they were not sure if it was directed to them, both, Athena and Hermes had chosen to wait.

"I cannot imagine wasting anymore time in this damned slumber," he grumbled. "I owe you my gratitude for waking me up."

"I was more than happy to assist my Queen," Athena quickly replied, "and King."

Zeus did not miss the glance she directed at Hermes and wondered whether there was any meaning behind it.

"So, tell me, what did I miss?" he finally spoke up.

Were they aware how, when they instinctively looked at each other at his question, screamed secrecy at him? When the simple truth was just that the vastity and endlessly possible answers had left them at loss.

"What would you like to know?" Hermes asked.

"What… has changed?" he asked not specifically, maybe because he was afraid to.

Maybe nothing had changed.

"Most things have stayed the same," Athena retorted quickly.

"Except for- the other changes."

Except for the fact that Hera moved Olympus, cutting the connection between human and gods, Hermes wanted to say. But Athena quickly reminded him with a stern look in her eyes that they had all agreed to withhold that kind of information until later.

Zeus, unaware of Hermes thoughts, just nodded.

Afterwards, Zeus got a collection of small snippets of information, like a notorious, lying husband, not big enough to matter but enough to keep from asking more questions.

But from what he got, he painted a picture in his head.

It had been chaotic after he had left, until Hera took over and became de-facto sovereign.

Apparently, his disappearance had left Rhea heartbroken, as she rarely visited the Olympus anymore.

Eileithyia had left to explore, they said, and no one had any idea where or when she was. That decision had nothing to do with him, although he doubted that he would have allowed such a preposterous thing. So it did relate to him.

Similar to Ares, they said, who left recently, and no one knew what and where. Again, Zeus had not been there.

Heracles also left.

Poseidon and Amphitrite were working on their marriage, whatever that meant. But at least that had nothing to do with him.

He took the overwhelming wave of information in stride, just nodding as they fed him piece after piece and never revealing his true thoughts.

"I see," he trailed off, before his gaze was caught on his daughter. "Well, then tell me about you, Athena. Have you been doing well?"

"Yes, I cannot complain," Athena replied with a smile.

Zeus nodded. It was unsurprising. After all, she has always been the most well-kept together of his daughters, of all goddesses.

Therefore, there was not much to talk about.

Talking about his brightest and most prized daughter, he could not help but wonder about another one. The one with the brightest smile.

"What about Hebe? Tell me, how is she doing?" he asked with a frown. "How long has that stupid son of mine left?"

(Of course everyone in the carriage was aware he only meant half of it. The day that Zeus would be disappointed in his prodigious half-mortal son would never come.)

He had been merely informed that his son was absent, probably on some important quest. As they gave him no other information, he did not feel the need to inquire on his own. Although he was satisfied with the little knowledge, he did wonder a little about how his beloved daughter was taking her husband's absence. Judging from Hebe's innocent and homely disposition, it must take a hard toll on her and the thought further cemented his worry.

"Shortly after your departure, he felt the need to train," Athena explained, before hesitantly adding. "He chose the Tartarus as his the most suitable ground."

Zeus put on a calm look as she contemplated silently, before nodding.

"It is not a bad choice. Not at all," he finally commented after some thought.

In his mind, if there was nothing to lose, there would be nothing to gain and therefore, the bigger risk, the better.

But perhaps he should be less concerned about his own approval on the choice and more concerned about the concerned wife's situation.

"But I imagine that it must be hard for Hebe. It must take quite a strain on her," he quickly added.

Hermes felt Athena reacting, so slight and so little, he barely saw it, but when one is as inquisitive as him and thus, knowing what to look for, it made it easier to tell that something was happening. Even if he did not see anything different. He knew.

"It seemed that she was unsupportive of his decision, vehemently so in the beginning," Athena revealed to Zeus, adopting a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes, but there is no reason to worry," Hermes quickly followed after. "Do you not think so, Athena?"

"Of course," she nodded.

"Is it so..." Zeus mused, before letting out a defeated sigh. "Well, that is relieving to hear."

"She had always been such a lovely Goddess but ever since his departure, it more than solidified in everyone's mind, there is no denying," Hermes remarked with nods. "No wonder, that girl is still her typical self, cheerful and happy and very pleasing, despite her husband's long absence. It is no wonder she is well-liked by everyone."

Zeus could not help but laugh.

"Of course, that does sound like Hebe. My beautiful daughter, just look at her. One smile and she can melt anyone's heart," Zeus chuckled heartily.

He himself was not surprised at all. He out of everyone knew how special this daughter of his was. The very same reasons that made him fall helplessly in love with his wife.

"How can you not fall for that beautiful smile?!" he declared, followed by a boisterous laugh this time.

It was a pointless and irrelevant question, and yet he made it anyway, happily so, in fact.

There was no way the ever-vigilant Goddess would fail to realise the difference in his questions about his daughters or the gentleness in his smile and eyes.

Because to her, there were no grounds to compare them.

Athena was a high-achieving and widely respected Goddess and patron, while Hebe was a subservient Goddess, whose place was prominently by her husband or someone else's side rather than independently. It is obvious that they would be treated according to their achievements.

So, they continued to feed him small pieces of the information.

Small, little pieces that were meant to satisfy his hunger, but what it fed was his dread and the bitter aftertaste of a pie he has yet to figure out.

But had they really thought he would not figure out?

Was this what absence did?

He calculated, knowing that he had no other choice but to comply to the current situation. There were enough other thoughts which occupied his mind anyway.

Yet again, his mind drifted back to his wife. They have yet to mention her in any definite form and what they gave, he doubted anyway already.

Hera. His wife. His Queen. Hera…

No matter what he did or whatever everyone else thought of them, they were husband and wife. No matter what, they were together, always there for each other and always will be with each other. At least that was what he told himself. That was what he thought. Until he had abandoned her.

And the more he thought about it and thought about her, the more he lost himself in the image he conjured up of his wife, helpless and all by herself. Because of him.

~o~o~o~o~

" _Have you heard?"_

" _Is it true that he is coming back?"_

~o~o~o~o~

After the reunion, seeing Zeus take Hebe into his embrace, Hera soon left stealthily to hear the personal reports from Athena and Hermes. Only afterwards was the reigning Queen informed by Iris that he was waiting her rooms- their rooms.

 _It was their rooms again._

When she arrived at the door, she was greeted by the sight of him sitting on her newly delivered couch, built by her son and fashioned by her oldest daughter and she had to admit, it was still a sight she could not prepare her heart for.

What is it that he was thinking about? Time had not moved on for him, he was still the same, as she could tell by dissecting his every pose and reaction.

"It was quite a long day, huh?" Hera spoke, revealing her presence.

"Yeah..." he replied, flashing her his boyish trademark smile that she had not seen for a long time.

It was so charming that it easily covered the nervousness he felt.

Not allowing silence to fester its presence, Hera quickly slowly walked towards him, sitting down on her couch. Her legs touched his, all the way, no physical distance between them.

"I am sorry it took so long," she apologised to him.

"I did not mind waiting," he assured her. "... After all, you had to wait far longer than me, right?"

He still watched her, still smiling.

He enjoyed looking at her. Ever since he arrived back, it was the first time that he actually had the time and moment to just look at her.

"Zeus..."

Like in a dream, where you knew you were half knowing, but with no control, this was how she felt, knowing and feeling him watching her.

This whole time Zeus had been thinking and wondering about her.

How was she and how had she been doing without him, how? But when she looked back at him with her beautiful eyes pleading for something he could not find the answer to, he realised that he actually had no desire to ask.

He would rather not at all.

He probably realised for the first time how lonely it must have been for her. Who was by her side when she was facing the situation all alone?

No longer able to endure her eyes, he abruptly stood up and escaping to the large window that would have opened to the balcony.

Hera watched his movement silently and indulged and continued watching as he stood there, half facing to her and half facing away. Neither of them moved, merely standing in the silence of the tranquil night.

"Zeus?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

While she realised that this was the first time she spoke his name, he, in his spare knowledge, only thought of it. But what mattered even more to him was the way that she whispered it. He could not tell it in detail, but there was just something that, hearing it, broke his heart a little.

He could hear her stand up, feel her coming closer.

There was a sense of lost in him. She could tell, even if she could not look into his eyes. A forlorn feeling rose in her heart, which she pushed away as quickly as she tentatively reached out to him.

"Zeus..."

Finally, he turned towards her, plastering a smile on the place his heart ached.

Zeus felt her gentle touched wrapping around his wrist, and it filled his body with warmth more than he dreaded it.

He starred, almost dazedly, at the hand that she had laid on him.

"It's alright," she assured him gently.

"Is it?" he shot back so quickly that it took her by surprise. It was unlike the painfully slow and aching anxiety that had been plaguing them this whole time. "I just woke up, learning that the person I wanted to spend eternity next to has gone on to the future while I had been stuck in the past."

There was irony in the difference between them. To him, she was the future, while he was in the present. To her, he was the past, while she was the present.

"You have no idea, Hera," he said to her, finally letting out a bitter chuckle.

Of course.

He could not see it, but Hera took a step back, when she heard it.

 _No idea how sorry I am._

She never knew.

 _Tell me_ , she could have also said.

She never did.

Just like that, the situation had reversed. He had succeeded in dragging her to him. Now, she was just as lost as he had looked in her eyes, something neither had wanted for each other. Not now.

Perhaps he should not have spoken those words.

Then again, he thought back, there were already so many words he should not have spoken.

This time, he will say the one thing that mattered, what had always mattered, no matter what.

"Hera," he whispered her name, ever so soft, like the gentle caress she had always yearned for during their marriage.

This time, he approached her, step by step. Before she knew, his upper body leaned towards her, his hand on the pillar behind her was the only thing that stopped his fall.

His other hand cupped her face.

"You know, the first thing I thought about was you," he confessed to her, his thumb gently tracing her lips. "... For a minute, I was scared, so scared thinking that maybe-"

They were so close, up to the point where he was just leaning at with his elbow against the pillar.

"-have you moved on? If everyone thought I was dead, you must think that as well, right?"

He paused, letting his words sink in, for him and her. He just looked at her and Hera thought that she had not seen this lost and helpless look in his eyes for a long time, even before his disappearance.

Almost instinctively, she tightly wrapped her arms around him.

"It's alright," she assured him, whispering into his chest, burying her head from the world.

"I will make it up to you," he swore. "I promise."

~o~o~o~o~

" _Did you see him?"_

" _I wonder how she is feeling…"_

~o~o~o~o~

"Iris."

"What can I do for you, milady?"

Hera looked out into the dark, infinite night. Iris could not see her tightening grip.

"Call the half of my missing children back home," Hera spoke in a what almost sounded like a dismissive tone.

"As you command," Iris obeyed without even blinking.

A second of hesitation.

"Especially Eileithyia."

~o~o~o~o~

" _Have you missed it?"_

* * *

 **Author's note:** I just wanted to say a **big thank you** for your support to everyone who left a review or followed the story and just gave it a chance. I know it's still early, but thanks for giving it a try. I appreciate it immensely and I also hope that you liked the first chapter. Also, share your thoughts and feelings or even speculations or wishes about future chapters or where it is heading ;)

 **Fun Fact** : At the beginning, I played a lot with the title, because the title is so important for the story and decisive for the plot. For a long time, I had my hear (half-)set on **_"What Did I Miss?"_** (*cough* coincidently around the time that I discovered Hamilton ...*cough*)

Also, writing Zeus part had been the most difficult thing. Also the reason why it took so long for me to start.

Anyway, see you in the next chap! xoxo


	3. Eileithyia

**Eileithyia**

What was there in this world, in all those worlds, that she had not already seen? Overthrowing of countries, the births of new nations, from the fairy tale love story of four dragons falling in love with a dethroned princess to the tragic lives of women living and dying in the imperial harem in nothing but the name of political intrigue.

Just as she watched the ceremony of a new reigning empress, honoured and cursed at the same time by the same people, she felt that there was nothing left to see anymore. The course of that woman's life had nothing to offer anymore.

It was the end now, it always is, even if that woman's life went on.

The things she wanted to do, it was done and now, she would move on.

She wandered the streets until she found a teahouse. It would have to do.

"Would you like to share a tea with me?" she asked, quietly like a whisper, to the hooded figure that had been accompanying her for a while, knowing full well that she would be hear anyway.

Not waiting for an answer, she chose a remote room, where no one could disturb her.

"You should take a seat."

"Thank your for taking the time to see to me," the mysterious, hooded figure bowed slightly, but never taking her offer.

Instead of taking offense, she just smiled.

"I had thought that it was you," Eileithyia said. "How long were you going to follow me?"

She watched with a hint of amusement and curiosity, as the person took cloak off with a snip of her slender finger.

"Forgive me, I did not want to disturb your…"

"For what did you need to seek me?"

"I have a message for you."

Of course.

"How urgent that it was hand-delivered by the handmaiden of the Queen herself," Eileithyia mused, as Iris passed her an envelope.

"Your father has returned," Iris spoke.

If Iris had expected to see Eileithyia falter or hesitate, she would have been sadly and disappointed.

"I see," she just scoffed with a condescending amusement, taking and unfolding the letter.

 _My dearest Eileithyia, your father has returned-_

"My dearest daughter, Zeus has returned," Eileithyia read out loud the first sentence, before smashing the letter back to its tiny form. "How predictable."

"Since you have received the letter, then I will be on my way."

Eileithyia did not watch Iris disappear into thin air, but from the corner of her eye she was aware, given the little rays of rainbow swirling left swirling in the air.

She knew, Iris was probably heading to Ares- and wherever he was- to deliver him the news. But did her mother let Iris know the extent of Eileithyia's own information?

Hm, it was probably best not to touch on the chance in case she revealed too much of herself.

After all, no one probably expected her to still maintain her network.

The irony did not allude Eileithyia. The reason she left and stayed gone was to leave it all behind and yet-

But she did wonder, between the two of them which one did was more dreadful for Iris to go to.

Volatile Ares, who will probably be non-pleased with the revelation. Or indifferent Eileithyia, who hides thousand thoughts, and again, who still knew more than she should.

The indifferent smile she wore the entire time fell, as she played with the little teacup in her hand.

"So the game is back on," she mused, her smile just slightly broadening.

"Let the game begin then."

* * *

 **AN:** This is a pretty short chapter- well, actually, it was not even a chapter but more like a filler-in chapter. I had this idea and wrote it, but then realised that it did fit in the grand scheme of the chapter and story structure. Still, I did not have it in me to delete it. So, would you be interested in other fillers? Would you like a compilation outside of this story?

Other **important question:**

The future chapters are going to be quite long. Would you prefer me to divide them, meaning shorter chapters with more updates or would you rather prefer entire, but longer chapters?


	4. Chapter 2: Coming Pt2

**Chapter 2:**

 _They say that love is life._

~o~o~o~o~

Apollo was lying on his side, smiling, as he observed the female lying next to him. He did that for a long time until the part of him, who was unwilling to disturb their small moment of tranquillity finally got bored.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked with his deep, inviting voice.

"Stuff," the beautiful goddess replied enigmatically while looking at the flashy decorated gold ceiling. Seeing that he was courteous enough to ask, she thought she should return the favour.

But he already knew what was on her mind, even before asking. She was thinking what was one probably on everyone's mind.

Zeus' return.

As much as everyone liked to believe otherwise, it was going to affect everyone and as much as Hera liked to pretend, everything was going to change.

He himself was intrigued to see what will happen.

"I was wondering... what was I like before? When he was still around?" she asked him, drawing his attention back from his spiralling thoughts and images.

So this was what she was wrecking her head about.

"Why are you asking me? Do you not remember?"

He found it an endearingly amusing question, but he also wondered whether she was aware of it at all, to ask him for answers she should know better than anyone else.

She turned her head towards him, her eyes slightly widened with a hint of epiphany within them. It seemed that she was not even aware until he pointed it out.

"You know what? I think you are right," she laughed, despite the bitter aftertaste. But she swallowed it with a gentle voice. "What do you think?"

"Why do you even need to know?"

"The same reason I had to ask you. I don't remember anymore..." she replied with a long sigh.

"And there is no need to," he reminded her. "Besides... the you, right now, I like so much more."

Giving her an answer without answering the question.

"I should have expected that answer from you," she let out a loud sigh, closing her eyes and falling back onto the pillows.

"Do you think he will know?" she then continued to ask.

This time, it actually earned a scoff from him. How honest.

"You give him too much credit. I doubt he would even notice," he chuckled condescendingly.

He knew her effort, just as he knew that it was in vain.

After all, it was universal knowledge that the only thing he truly paid attention to was whatever it concerned him. Anything was just desirable and trivial.

"It does not even matter," he scoffed. "He would never notice your true brilliance. No one has yet the pleasure to see the brilliant you."

He bent down and placed a kiss on her shoulder.

With a gentle nudge on her chin. he raised her face, and looking into her eyes, he smoothly placed a kiss on her lips.

She smiled wryly, too aware to fall for him.

It was meant to be a compliment and most others would have taken it as for them but she knew better than that. The warm God next to her was too tricky and self-involved to give a compliment without levelling himself up.

"No one except you, you mean."

"But of course."

Because he was different from them and from anyone else.

The pride in his eyes as he gazed at her left her unaffected.

Rather than chiding him for his arrogance, she opted to remain silent. The only thing he would hear was her eye-roll.

"Are you happy about his return?" he questioned her.

"Hmm, why do I feel like that you already have my answer in your mind."

She liked how things were. She was content with it and why would she not be? She had come a long way in the time Zeus had been gone and now for it all to go back to how it was- what a vexing thought.

"Maybe you are right. It is better to not let him know about it. It is going to break his heart knowing that his own most beloved daughter wished that he never came back."

"Well, the truth always sucks."

"What makes you think that I am his favourite daughter?" she asked.

He ignored her elegant and sarcastic scoff.

"I think so, and everyone else thinks so as well."

But is it so just because everyone thinks so? A wise voice played in her head.

She entertained the idea but as promising as it sounded, it was ultimately empty. Time has drained whatever potential it had.

"Compared to you, I do not find it in myself to care about that."

She realised this when she looked at him, lost and unable to come up with anything that would have satisfied him. So, she just fell back on her back, going back to mindlessly staring at the ceiling.

Apollo was too confident to be bothered by her lack of attention on him, though he would have preferred it. He stared at her.

She was such a magnificent woman. Smart and dignified, she could have the world if she wanted, a trait that ran in her family. But she probably did not know that. Such was the beauty that was her.

But he chose not to say them. Instead, he followed her action, staring at the ceiling, but unlike her, he did not allow his thoughts run wild and unlike worry, it was just curiosity, maybe even a hint of excitement, that he felt for what could happen soon.

~o~o~o~o~

In another room, Zeus and Hera lied on a klinai, half of her body draped over him and legs intertwined.

"I did not think that you were dead," she finally told him, breaking the silence.

"I could not bear that thought, that you have moved on, without me" _like anyone else,_ he told her without saying "and when they assured me that you did not, I felt so happy… and so stupid. How could I compare you with anyone else?" he asked, rhetorically before his gaze moved down to her.

"It's okay," she said. "Why don't we just talk about something else?"

He took his time, just looking at her wry smile. Before his hand moved towards her face, his palm gently caressing her cheek.

"Tell me, how have you been all these years?" he finally asked.

Despite the wry smile, she saw that he looked down at her with a gentle, apologetic look in his eyes.

"Why do you want to talk about?" she asked. "It doesn't matter."

"Tell me, anyway," he urged her.

"At first, when that moment came, when I realised that you may not come back, I had no idea what to do. I was so lost."

"I am sorry."

"At first, I was lost."

"I am sorry."

 _But it got better._

Hera smiled back at him, just as gentle and deeply hiding from him, beneath that gentleness, was the conflict on what to tell him.

"It is only important that you are back."

He instantly assumed that she was trying to spare his feelings. His heart went out to her, it seemed he was just causing unpleasant feelings for her, again.

But of course, he did not see that.

He did not want to face it or her, but then again, he questioned himself like so many other times today already. Did he really want to? Could he? Turn away from her again.

Hera felt him slowly entangling from her, but she was wrong to trust the gentle atmosphere, when he even quicker, pushed her onto her back. Despite the surprise, her voice did not leak out. The only indication were her eyes that were slightly widened, as she looked at him.

His arms pushing against the soft material of the klinai, his hands steadily planted on each side of her head.

"What are you doing?" Hera asked him.

"I want to look at you."

And what do you see?

In the silence he let his eyes roam over her face, taking all the time in taking every aspect of her. Her golden hair fanned around her, her beautiful glittering eyes that promised calm.

She was beautiful, unbelievably so.

His wife- her beauty was beyond the words that he could never find, dazzling and mesmerizing.

He wondered how long it had been since he took the time to do that, to appreciate the beauty that was his Queen and enjoying the quiet moment in which he could see his reflection in her beautiful orbs.

It reminded him of the first time he saw her like that, pinned within his arms, and the most glorious sight to behold.

Back then, he had thought that her beauty, although more breath-taking than anything else he had seen in his divine life, would fade with time as any other, that she would only take his breath away until something else would.

But it never came.

Against nature's order, against his order, she only grew more beautiful, right in front of his eyes and before him, he saw. Until his world's beauty was all (only) found in her.

Did she know?

She must.

But she would hear none of it. In that moment, Hera chose to raise her hands, softly/masterfully weaving his blonde hair into her fingers, if stringing an instrument that she knew from her heart and like a trigger, remembering all the steps to a dance that he knew from his heart, Zeus leaned down, capturing her lips.

Some things may have changes, but his kiss- their kiss, was just as powerful as it was every other time. He never wanted to let go.

"I want you to know how grateful I feel, Hera," he spoke. "I know that a lot of things have changed and that it will be difficult to adjust at some point, but I feel that I can do this, with you by my side. Because no matter how much the world changes, you will always be there."

She was the pillar of his world and even when he had left and theoretically, left her, she still remained his pillar.

He wondered, when had their relationship begun to be so unequal.

"Let me make it up to you. I will promise you-"

"Zeus..." she stopped him, speaking his name. But other than that, she did not know what to say.

"I know, I know," he chuckled.

"But either way, I promise, I will try to make it up to you."

Here she was, here _they_ were. She was in his arms, starring right back up at him, her eyes clear and soft, as beautiful as always. She was here, and he was here, too, finally.

But then, why did it feel as though they were farer apart now?

Had he really returned home?

Hera closed her eyes and wordlessly, she fell into his arms.

~o~o~o~o~

Everything was dark, so it was easy for her to find him. She just followed the source of overheated light.

"You are still working."

The working God of Smith stopped in his work at the soft voice and raised his head to meet his wife's stare. She was standing on the threshold of his workshop.

He blinked, as if surprised that she was standing or when she was standing there.

"I am sorry. Did I wake you?" he asked with a concerned frown.

"No," she assured him with a small smile on her lips.

Even from afar, she was beautiful. Even with the slight frown, she lightened up his little black and ashen-filled world and even more with the concern that was solely for him.

He just nodded, unsure whether he could or should continue with his work.

Seeing his awkwardness, her smile grew more, as endearing as his sight was to her. Gracefully, she slid away from the threshold and towards him.

How are you?

She wanted to ask, but she also knew how pointless that question was. She just needed to look to know that.

In all the time they had been married, how could she not know the true meaning in his zealous work behaviour. So, when his workaholic behaviour became just frantic, more than usual, how could she not be worried?

She chose to place herself behind his back, as her hands gently laid on his broad shoulders and instantly felt his muscle relax under her.

Touching him touched her heart. As soon as she touched him, she was filled with an inner warmth that was incomparable to the superficial fever of his oven of a workplace.

"You were not there, today," she remarked, placing her hands on his broad shoulders that were heated by the fire.

Hephaestus grumbled.

"I am not who he wanted to see anyway."

His thought went to the many other people he would be happy to see being there, greeting him, smiling at him and (pretending) being happy to have him back.

Hera. Athena. Hebe.

He was not one of those.

That was not the kind of relationship they had.

"He would have wanted you more than me," he added.

She just nodded. That too, was something that she knew already. Except that this time, she was more clueless on how to alleviate her husband.

Their relationship was not good. Zeus as a father treated all his children with varying amount of indifference that was equally heart-breaking, but even amongst them, Hephaestus was different. Especially amongst Hera's children.

For all he cared, for all anyone cared, the God of Smith was stuck in a loveless at best, and hateful relationship at worst, but no one cared anyway.

"A lot of things have changed since then."

Here they were, together and in love.

That was when it hit her.

"It's more than this, isn't it? You are worried about… us," she asked, a little shocked and yet, not really surprised.

After a while, he let go of his hammer and rubbed his face.

"It's not us. It's… A man like him will not be pleased to see changes had not involved him," he declared with a loud, frustrated sigh.

Yet on the other hand, also not caring about anything that did not involve him. What a paradox.

"Don't do that," his wife said, her hand rubbing soothing circles on him. "It's the past. Everything is. I don't care about it anymore, neither should you."

His return won't change anything, least of all her feelings for him!

"I know, I know." The many time she had had to say these words.

"I am here now, and I will stay here. I promise."

It had been so difficult for her to say these words at first, but it had become easier with time, but surprisingly actually, even more precious. And every time, he marvelled at the force that was her love hit him.

"I love you," he said.

He did not need to turn around to see her smile spread. He could feel it when she pressed her face into his back, while wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Nothing will change, I promise."

~o~o~o~o~

 _In life, there is birth, life and death. In love, there is infatuation, the innocent and careless love; heartbreak, the lost/loss of love and true love. Which is what?_

 _Nature structured gave life three phases, the Birth, the Life and the Death. In love, they are infatuation, the innocent and careless love; heartbreak, the lost/loss of love and true love. So, which is it?_


	5. Ares

**Ares**

Somewhere far away from the source of all divine problems, the God of War lied in a bed blissfully, unaware of the storm that had been brewing back home.

"We should do something other than just lay in bed," the woman in his arm sighed, but despite her words, her face was still resting on his naked chest.

"Are you complaining?" he asked. "Well, we can always go and take a shower."

It was a pointless suggestion. It would just end with them being in the same position they were in now. Her sore limbs could attest to that.

"Do you not need to go back?" she finally asked him.

He smirked, thinking she sounded cute right now.

As a response, he just tightened his arms around her, revelling in the warmth of her body. His hand started to wander across her body, caressing her soft skin.

"After everything, you want to get rid of me so fast? This really hurts-"

She showed him what it really meant to hurt by slapping him on his arm, of course never forgetting the real injuries his body sustained.

"Fine, fine," he chuckled, before assuring her. "They can survive without me for a while. Happily so, I presume."

"Whatever. But in comparison to you, I still need to drink something."

She tried moving and wiggling her way out but her efforts only earned a tightening grip on his arms. He groaned and pressed her body to his. Ares felt the tingling warmth he was getting accustomed to, spread within his body, as he felt the warmth of her skin melt together with his.

"Don't do that. Why can you not just enjoy our time? It is the least I deserve after what I went through, do you not agree," he purred to her ear.

Her fingertips slightly graced his still healing wound.

It was astonishing that it had not opened up yet, which was probably given credit to his Greek divinity.

In a moment of blissful ignorance, she finally managed to sneak away from his embrace and despite the instant moment of disappointment, Ares decided to let it slide, considering it as a bargain for just now. For a little longer, he revelled in the wonderful feeling of being in love.

He then finally sat up and unfolded the paper, he remembered he made Iris write to him. She did say it was short, therefore he had requested she merely leave a note and thus, she can leave him quickly again, so he can preoccupy himself to more urging matters.

Indeed, it was something that could have been summed up in a sentence. However, that sentence was enough to leave him aghast. Any euphoric feeling he had just left in that instant, something that his lover realised when she came back from hydrating herself - she had discarded the idea of showering as a wasted effort.

Irena saw that he was gripping too tightly on the paper. But he still remained unmoving.

"What is it?" she asked him cautiously.

Ares did not meet her worried gaze, still immersed in the content of the letter, he replied.

"I need to go back. Immediately."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Hi everyone, I am back ( or at least, trying to be...).

I am currently very busy with- life? I just finished my internship and will be starting at a slightly more permanent situation, which requires a lot of adjusting and of course, working. Plus, afterwards, I will continue pursuing education _ Just wanted to keep you updated, so you won't be mad at me too much.

Anyway, I'm glad and hope you enjoy reading these few chapters. I was not sure whether to publish this one, but I thought maybe the quantity can make up the lack thereof during the past few months! 3

* * *

(Also) Comment Section:

 _Guest: lowkey got excited thinking hera and apollo started an affair until I got to the part about the unknown goddess being zeus' favourite daughter. is it hebe? athena? who is apollo banging? lmao_

I don't know who you are, but I _so_ wish you had read that chapter before I published that, so I could actually make scratch the daughter part. That would have been _so_ fun!


End file.
